TOKYO (Kyodo) — Japan will accelerate the development of next-generation coal- and natural gas-fired thermal power technologies as part of its efforts to cut carbon dioxide emissions and reduce the burden on the environment, industry minister Yoichi Miyazawa said Tuesday.

The government will set up a committee on achieving the practical use of cutting-edge, more eco-friendly technologies, while seeking to tighten regulations on thermal power installations under the energy-saving law, Miyazawa told a press conference.

“We will accelerate the development of technology to achieve further efficiency” for thermal power, he said.

Although the international community is attempting to cut back on thermal power generation to fight climate change, Japan plans to slightly increase its dependence on coal down the road, due partly to uncertainties over the use of nuclear power following the 2011 Fukushima meltdowns.

In its long-term energy mix, the government said coal would account for 26 percent of Japan’s total electricity supply in 2030, up from an average 24 percent in the decade before the nuclear crisis.

The committee, comprising government officials, manufacturers and academics, plans to craft a road map for the development of new technologies in July.